Chapter 12

Harboring confusion and bewilderment in his heart, Kapu stepped forward, a white bath towel draped over his body, walking step by step toward the hall.

Arriving beside the Den Den Mushi, he casually picked it up and held it to his ear.

The moment he spoke, Kapu didn't hold back at all: "In the middle of the night, you old thing Sengoku, what business do you have coming to find this old man?"

Little did he expect,

After a brief silence on the other end of the Den Den Mushi, a voice that greatly surprised Kapu sounded.

"Kapu, it's me."

It was Dadan!

Hearing Dadan's voice, Kapu's pupils shrank, looking somewhat caught off guard.

Out of the blue…

Why would Dadan come looking for him?

Kapu was certain.

If there wasn't something important, Dadan—the leader of a bandit group—would absolutely not dare to come find him so easily, and would even avoid him like the plague.

"Could it be…"

"Something happened to that kid Lu En? Or something happened to Ace?"

For a moment, Kapu thought of many unpleasant guesses.

Because…

Beyond those reasons, he truly couldn't figure it out.

What other matter could make Dadan take the initiative to contact him?

None!

"What happened to those two kids?"

Kapu's tone turned anxious, the words slipping out instinctively.

One was his own grandson,

The other was a grandson entrusted to his care by an old friend.

Whichever one had an accident, it was absolutely not something Kapu wanted to see.

"Kapu, you've got the wrong idea."

"Don't rush…"

"Neither of them had an accident."

Dadan's voice sounded somewhat strange, as if suppressing a wave of panic.

"Neither of them had an accident?"

Kapu was stunned for a moment, the anxiety in his heart cooling and settling somewhat, then he asked again, "Then why are you coming to find this old man in the middle of the night? What on earth is the matter?"

"The matter is a bit complicated, hard to explain in a few words. I suggest, if you have the time, you still come over to my side right away. Once you're here, you'll know the whole story from start to finish."

"So mysterious…"

Kapu's brow furrowed tightly.

In the three years since he had entrusted Dadan with Ace's care, this was the first time he heard Dadan take the initiative to contact him via Den Den Mushi, and ask him to rush over there in the middle of the night.

Something extremely important must have happened!

Otherwise,

Dadan wouldn't have made such a big fuss.

"Fine, I'll get ready to head over right now."

Kapu took a deep breath and nodded in agreement.

No matter what had happened over there…

If he didn't go in person, he wouldn't be able to rest easy tonight.

"Oh, right."

"I'll give you a heads-up here, Miandedai Society you'll get startled."

Just before the Den Den Mushi call between the two was about to end, Dadan on the other end said in a tone full of horror, "Your grandson is an extremely terrifying monster!"

And then,

Before Kapu could react,

The Den Den Mushi was hung up by Dadan on the other end.

Kapu, holding the Den Den Mushi, was stunned.

After the Den Den Mushi hung up.

The vast hall fell completely silent.

Kapu kept savoring Dadan's last words.

"This old man's grandson is a monster?"

"What does that mean?"

Kapu was utterly baffled, lost in a fog.

What on earth happened?

Even through the Den Den Mushi, he could still sense it.

Dadan was completely different from usual…

Completely unlike the usual Dadan!

Tonight's Dadan was very serious!

And even faintly,

From the other party's voice, Captain Kapu sensed a strong sense of panic.

He had a guess in his heart.

This matter must be related to his two grandsons.

Or rather…

This matter was closely tied to that kid Lu En!

"Never mind."

"Let's go check first."

Without overthinking,

Captain Kapu hurriedly dialed the Den Den Mushi again and gave it a string of instructions: "Bokato, come with me to the Kerpo Mountain Range right away."

Bokato, a Marine sergeant, Captain Kapu's trusted confidant and subordinate, deeply trusted by him.

Not long after,

Captain Kapu and Bokato, the two of them, hurried day and night from Windmill Village all the way to the Kerpo Mountain Range.